Cleaning products (e.g., mop, hand held pad, etc.) are used for cleaning a variety of surfaces, such as floors, ovens, carpets and bathtubs. Typically, the cleaning product is dipped into a cleansing solution and then applied to the surface being cleaned. Alternatively, the cleansing solution may be applied directly to the surface being cleaned, and then wiped with a pad. The cleansing solution increases the speed at which the surface is cleaned, decreases the effort a user must exert to clean the surface, and improves the overall quality of the cleaning process. Moreover, cleaning products may also be packaged with a chamber, such as a capsule, which stores the cleansing solution prior to use. A user may release the cleansing solution from the chamber and subsequently use the cleansing solution during cleaning. This configuration avoids the inconvenience of providing a separate source of cleansing solution, ensures a particular type of cleansing solution is used, and allows for the actual amount of cleansing solution used to be regulated.
Unfortunately, packaging a cleaning product with a cleansing solution is often detrimental to the shelf life and effectiveness of the cleansing solution. For example, hydrogen peroxide is a common cleansing solution that may be used as a whitener, brightener, cleanser, antimicrobial agent, and/or oxidizer. However, hydrogen peroxide becomes unstable when exposed to ultraviolet light. Thus, because the cleaning product is exposed to ultraviolet light over time, the shelf life and effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide is usually reduced when packaged along with the cleaning product.
Cleansing solution may sometimes be packaged in a spray bottle or other container. A user may apply the cleansing solution to a surface and then use a cleaning product, such as a sponge, to work the cleansing solution across the surface to remove dirt and other contaminants. This type of arrangement may be problematic in that a pair of objects, the spray bottle and sponge, are needed. For example, if one of the objects becomes lost or otherwise runs out, a user will not be able to conduct or continue cleaning.
Accordingly, a need exists for a cleaning product that helps increase the effectiveness and shelf life of cleansing solutions and other materials associated with cleaning products.